Platen-shifting mechanism.



PLATEH SHIFTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION 11.31) 1 .111114. 19101 97,7 4, Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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By 1 g u I C. SPIRO.-

PLATEN SHIFTING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 4, 1910.

Patented Mar.28, 1911.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

0. EPIRO. PLATIm smr'rme MECHANISM.

APYLIOATIOI FILED AUG. 4, 1910. Patented Mar.

3 SHEETS-SHEET CW/wpziv.

[NVENTGR Alfamey CHARLES SPIRO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PLATEN-SHIFTING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Srnao, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flatten-Shifting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention. disclosed in this application relates broadly to typewriting machines and specifically to platen shifting mechanism wherein the relationship between the type and the platen is changed in order to permit of printing of upper and lowercase letters.

The principal object of this invention is to construct a platen shifting mechanism for a front strike typewriting machine in such manner asto shift the platen, the ribbon vibrator and the ribbon spools simultaneously in the same direction.

Another object of this invention is to. construct platen shifting keys that are so connected with the mechanism to be shifted, that when the keys are depressed the platen, ribbon spools and attendant mechanisms are also depressed, and therefore the action of gravity may be utilized in balancing the force required for shifting the platen.

Another object of this invention is to construct a platen shifting mechanism in such manner that the platen is always locked when in normal position, and may be locked at the will of the operator'when in shifted position.

Another object of this invention is to cons struct adjustable stop members for determining the position of rest of the platen carria e.

inother object of this invention is to construct a locking mechanism for maintaining the platen in locked normal position; the locking mechanism comprising a cam controlled locking hook positively carnmed into locking position and spring released from locking engagement when the controlling cam is removed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for resiliently looking a cylindrical platen in the platen frame; the locking means comprising levers of the third class, which are pivotally mounted upon the platen supporting frame.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 4, 1910.

I platen .or a front strike platen shifting key "sectional view Patented Mar. 28, 1911. Serial No. 575,523.

A further object of this invention is to provide a substantially vertical shifting typewriting machine which is operated by a shifting mecha nism that simultaneously shifts the ribbon vibrator and a line indicator and ribbon protector.

A. still further object of this invention is to construct ribbon spool mechanism which is adapted to be shifted in a direction parallel to the axis of the ribbon spools when the platenis shifted from upper to lower case position.

Still other and further objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out in the specification which hereinafter follows, by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the several figures of scope of the invention will be indicated by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a View showing the platen shift mechanism in its relation in a complete typewriting machine; the View showing the typewriting machine in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional'elevational view of the assembled typewriting machine; the section being taken just inside of the left side of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a. View showing all of the platenshifting and attendant mechanisms in detail elevation. Fig. l is a plan View showing the lock. Fig. 5 is a detail of the ribbon vibrator and printing point indicator. Fig. 6 is a detail elevational view of the locking hook for the swinging platen carriage frame. Fig. 7 is a view showing in detail one of the adjustable stops for the swinging platen carriage frame. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the adjustable sliding abutment carried by the actuating rod. Fig. 9 is a detail plan of the ribbon shift yokes.

Referring particular-1" to Figs. 1 and 2, these views illustrate many parts of a com plete typewriting machine which do not specifically cooperate with the platen shift ing mechanism which forms the subject matter of the present invention, and therefore, the general mechanisms will be described only in their very broad relationship to a typewriting machine. However, the particular parts of a typewriting machine herein illustrated that do not specifically coopen the drawings, and the ate with the platen shifting mechanism, are

covered by other applications co-pending withthis application.

Again referring to Figs. 1 and 2 more spe- 'cifically, the main frame of the typewritin g well known method of interlocking metallic parts. A front plate 8, is adapted to protect the forward ends of type bars 9, and is fixedly mounted in the machine frame between the front posts 5. The type bars 9 are pivotally mounted in a type bar segment 10, which is-rigidly mounted to the side portions 1 of the machine frame by means of stud bolts .11. Key levers 12, are'pivotally mounted in the machine frame upon a supporting bar 13, and are operatively connected with the type bars 9, in such manner that the depression of a particular key will actuate a specifically designated type bar. The top plate 7 isadapted to carry ribbon actuating devices 14, which are operatively connected to a universal bar mechanism 15. A carriage bed 16, is removably mounted upon the top plate 7', by means of thumb screws 17, which pass upwardly through the top plate into engagement with the carriage bed and thus bind the latter fixedly in position to receive carriage rails 18 and 19, that are maintainedin position on the carriage bed 16, by means of anti-friction balls 20. The carriage rails 18 and 19, are fixedly attached to carriage end frames'21 and 22, in which a swinging platen carriage frame 24 is mounted by means of a pivot rod 25.

.The pivotrod 25,- is fixedly mounted in the swinging platen carriage frame 24, in such manner that the pivot rod 25 turnslin bearings in the carriage end frames 21 and 22 when the swinging platen carriage frame is oscillated. Counterbalancing springs 26, are coiled about the outer ends of the pivot rod 25, uponexten'sions through the carriage end frames 21 and 22, and have one end operatively connected with the pivot. rod 25, and the other end connected to the carriage end frames 21 and ,22, in such manner as to cause the forward end of the swinging platen carriage frame to tend to move in an up ward direction. A cylindrical platen 27, is mounted upon an axle 28, which is adapted to be seated in semi-circular depressions cut in the forward ends of the swinging platen carriage frame 24, and the axle 28, of the cylindrical platen 27, is adapted to be maintained in position in the depressions by means of latch members 29, which arep'ivotally mounted upon'upward extensions 30,

the swinging platen carriage'frame 24. The latch members 29 are provided with cam portions 31, which are arranged to cam the against the swinging platen carriage frame, and are held in resilient contact with the -platen axle 28 by means of coiled springs 32, which are attached to the swinging platen .carriage frame 24 and to the lower end of the latch members 29. The upperportion of the latch members 29, are formed into thumb pieces, which enablethe operator force of the coiled springs 32 when it is desirable to remove the cylindrical platen from its position in the machine.

The end frames 21 and 22,, are provided with substantially vertical slots 34, which allow a sufficient space for the actuation or removal ofthe platen axle 28.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, a platen shifting key lever 35, is mounted upon a pivotrod 37 which is supported for rotation in the sides of the machine frame 1. The platen shifting key lever 35, occupies a position to the left of the main key board 12 in the machine frame, and carries upon its forward end a pivotally mounted rocking shifting keys 39 and 40. A latch member '41, is pivotally mounted upon the. rocking frame 38, and is resiliently: held against a stop 42, by means of a small spring 44. A latch bracket 45, is fixedly mounted to the left'side frame 1, and extends into the path of the latch member 41, the arrangement and construction of the latching parts being such that if the platen shifting key 39 be depressed, the rocking frame 38, will be swung upon its pivot 43, and'the latch 41 will engage the lower portion of the latch bracket 45 and retain the platen shifting key "lever 35in depressed position until the rocking frame 38 is restored to normal position by pressure being put upon. the releasing key 40. If, however, it is desirable that the platen shift only be ,for the printing of a single character or for a substantially momentary platen shift, the pressure should be placed upon the platen shifting key 40, which will depress the platen shifting key lever 35, without swinging the rocking frame 38, and therefore the latch member 41, will not be swung into the path of the latch bracket 45, and the key lever35 will be returned to normal position by mechanism hereinafter to be described, assoon as presthe platen shift key 40.

A long rearwardly extending arm 46, is

platen axle 28 in, a downward direction,

frame 38, upon which are mounted platensure is released from the platen shifting key formed integral with the forward ends of to actuatethe latch members against the stantially equal to the position occupied by semen fixedly mountedupon the pivot rod.37, and is adapted to cotiperate at its extreme rear end with an adjustable abutment 4'3, whichis mounted on the lower end of a actuating rod48, and 1s provided at portion with is surrounded by a coiled spring 50, that s adapted to bear against the top plate and against an adjustable stop collar 51, in order to keep the abutment 4'2 and the arm alt; 1.11 constant contact. The upper end otthe actasting rod 48 is bifurcated as at 53, and carries an anti-friction roll 52, which is adapted 'to' bear against the rear rail 54 of the swing ing platen carriage frame 24. The actuating rod 5 .8, is located at the rear of the machine frame in a plane substantially bisecting the machine from front to rear. The rearward extending arn'i. (l6, is normally maintained by means of the abutment 47, and the coiled spring 50, in contact with the key lever'sup- I 55, is pivotally 1 the cam member-57, the rear rail porting bar 13, as is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A cam controlled locking hook mounted in the top plate 7, substantially adjacent the actuating rod 48. The lower end of the locking hook is 0011-. nected to a coiled spring 56, that is attached to the top plate in such manner as to exert a pull in a direction to release the locking book from overlying the rear rail 54. The inner edge of the locking book 55, is curved into a cam member 57, that normally is in the path of the bifurcated head of the actuating rod 4-8. Thus it will be seen that the locking book. 55, is positively cannned into position over therear rail v54L, by means of (to-action of the bifurcated head 53 mild 54 fo lows the antifriction. roll 52 when the acadapted to I i l tuat ing rod 48 moves downwardly under the influence of the coiled spring 530 and the counter-balancing springs 2G.- Likewise the locking hook 55 is released from its position over the rear rail 54, when the actuat ing rod as is moved upwardly byifinger pressureupon any'of the platen shifting ke stains. The forward endof the swinging platen carriage frame 24: is out away as at 58, to form a contact face for engaging the adjustable stop blocks 59, that are mounted upon the carriage end frames 21 and 22,. by-

means of screws 50, which pass through elongated slots til, formed in the adjustable blocks 59. The blocks 59, are further secured in definite position by means of ver tical. adjustment screws 62, that are set in the"'c'arriage end frames 21 and and are bear against the upper face of the blue $59, as is clearly shown in 1*.ig. T of the drawings.

I Referring specifically to Figs. 3 and 5, a short arm 64. is fixedly mounted upon the pivot rod 37, and is attached by means of a link 65, to an inner shift yoke frame 66, upon which an outer ribbon vibrator actuating yoke 67 is pivotally mounted as at 68. The inner shift yoke frame 66, is pivotally mounted upon brackets 70, which depend from the top plate 7, and carries upon its forward end a line and printing point indicator 71. The outer ribbon vibrator actuating yoke carries upon its forward middle portion a ribbon vibrator 72, which is pivotally connected to-tl1e yoke 67, by means of a pivot link 74. The ribbon vibrator yoke 67, is connected by means of an actuating link 75, with the universal bar 15. The arrangement and construction of parts in the ribbon vibrator shifting mechanism are such that as the platen shifting mechanism operated to shift the platen from one printing position to another, the ribbon vibrator and the printing point indicator are simultaneously shifted through an equal distance and therefore maintain their same relativ position with relation to the platen in either of its shifted positions.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the ribbon spools 76, are mounted upon vertical shafts '77, which carry at their lower ends ratchet heels 7?, and are provided at their lower extremities with stud screws 79, which are screwed into the lower ends of the shafts 77. Vertical shift links 80 and 81, are connected to the stud screws 79 and to the shifting levers 35 and 86 respectively, in such manner that the ribbon spools 76, are raised or lowered simultaneously the same amount and in the same direction as the platen is raised or lowered during its platen shifting movement from one printing level to another. The lower ends of the vertical shifting links 80 and 81, are provided with resilient wing portions 82, which form wide bearing surfaces that insure a ti 'ht 'oint between the shifting links and the platen shifting levers. Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim is2-- l. A platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines comprising a machine frame, platen shift levers pivotally mounted in said machine frame, a carriage frame, a swinging platen carriage mounted in said carriage frame, means for operatively connecting said shift levers withsaid swinging platen carriage, va ribbon vibrator, an inner pivoted yoke, an outer yoke pivotally mounted upon said inner yoke, said outer yoke being. operatively connected with said ribbon vibrator, operative means for connecting said.' ,inner yoke with said platen shift levers, ribbon spools, and means for operatlvely connecting said ribbon spools With said platen shift levers.

2. A platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines comprising a machine frame, platen shift keys pivotally mountedin said machine frame, a carriage frame, a swinging platen carriage pivotally mounted in said carriage frame, a cylindrical platen carried by said swinging platen carriage, means for counterbalancing the weight of said. platen, means operatively connecting said swinging carriage with said platen shift keys, a ribbon vibrator, a printing point indicator, a pivoted inner yoke operatively connected with said printing point indicator, an outer' yoke pivotally mounted upon said inner yoke and operatively connected with said ribbon vibrator, means for connecting said inner yoke with said platen shift keys, ribbon spools, and means operatively connecting said ribbon spools with said platen shift keys.

3. A platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines comprising a machineframe, platen shift keys pivotally mounted in. said machine frame, a carriage frame, a-

swinging platen carriage pivotally mounted in said carriage frame, a cylindrical platen mounted in said swinging platen carriage, operative means for connecting said swinging platen carriage with said shift keys, a ribbon vibrator, operative means foh connecting said ribbon vibrator with said platen shift keys, ribbon spools adapted to shift in a direction substantially parallel tov their axes, and means, for operatively con necting said ribbon spools with said platen shift keys. v

4. In a platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines in combination, a machine frame, platen shift keys pivotally mounted in said machine frame, a carriage frame, a swinging platen carriage pivotally mounted in said carriage frame, a cylindrical platen carried byvsaid /swinging platen carriage, means for shifting said platen carriage, an actuating link, means carried by said actuating link and adapted to engage said plat-en shifting means, means for 0p-. eratively connecting" said actuating link with the platen shift keys, ribbon spools, a, I

ribbon vibrator','and means for operatively connecting said ribbon spools 'with said platen shift keys to bodily shift the ribbon spools simultaneously with the platen shift.

5; A platen shifting mechanism for type writing machines incombination, a main frame, platen shift keys pivotally mounted in said main frame, a carriage frame, a

swinging platen carriagemountedin said carriage frame, a cylindrical platen carried by said swinging carriage frame, a vertical stop, means for normally maintaining said platen carriage in contact with said vertical stop, a vertical actuating link, means for operatively connecting said vertical actuating link withsaid platen shift'keys, a rib arran ement of parts bon vibrator, means operatively connecting said ribbon vibrator with said platensh'ift keys, ribbon spools, and means operatively connected with said said ribbon spools when said platen carriage is shifted from one printing Ievel to another.

6. In a platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines .in combination, a main frame, platen shift keys mounted in said main frame, a carriage frame, a swinging platen carriage 'pivotally mounted in said carriage frame, a cylindrical platen mounted in said swinging -platen carriage, means operatively connecting said platen shift keys withlsaid swinging carriage, a

shift keys for shifting ribbon vibrator, means for operatively cennecting said' ribbon vibrator with said platen shift keys, ribbon spools, means 0 eratively connected with said ribbon spoo s the construction and being such that said cyliir rical platen, said ribbon vibrator and said ribbon spools are simultaneously shifted in the same direction when said shift keys are operated. 1

7. In a platen shifting mechanism. for typewriting" machines in" combination, a main frame, platen shift keys pivotally mounted in said mainframe, a carriage frame, a swingin platen carriage mounted in said carriage rame, removably mounted insaid'swinging platen carriage, means for operatively connecting said swin ing platen carriage with said platen shift keys, a ribbon vibrator,-means and platen shift keys,

a cylindrical platen operatively connecting said ribbon vibrator and said platen shift keys, ribbon spools, means operatively connecting, said ribbon spools with said platen shift keys, the con-' struction and arrangement of parts being such that said cylindricalplaten, said ribbon vibrator and said ribbon spools are all shifted simultaneously and substantially through the same distance'when the platen shift keys are actuated. l

8. A platen shifting'mechanism for typewriting machines including a carriage frame, adjustable stops mounted in 'isaid carriage frame, a swing-mg platen carriage pivot-ally ,mounted in said carriage frame, means for normally maintaining said swinging platen carriage in contact with said adjustable stops, and means for locking said swinging platen carriage'in position against'said stops,

9. In a platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines in combination, a machine frame, a carriage frame mounted for reciprocal motion upon said machine fraine, a swinging platen carriage pivotally mounted in said carriage frame, adjustable stops on said carriage frame, means for maintainmg said swinging platen carriage in pontact with said adpistablef stops, and pivotal locking means mounted upon said main frame and adapted to lock said swinging riage. with said shift keys, -meansincluding a cam'member adapted to typewrltmg machines in combination, a main frame, platen shift keys pivotally mounted In sa d main frame, a carriage frame, a swinging platen carriage pivotally mounted in said carriage frame, a cylindrical platen carrie'dby said platencarriage, a locking hook pivotally mounted upon said machine frame and adapted to cooperate with said swinging platen carriage, means for operatively connecting said swinging platen carsaid connecting cooperate With said locking hook to hold said hook'in locking'position, substantially as described,

11. A platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines including a shiftable platen carriage, a ribbon vibrator, a printing point indicator operatively connected with said ribbon vibrator, and ribbon spools operatively connected with the platen shifting means to be shiftable in a direction-substantially parallel to their axes.

12. A shifting mechanism for typewriting machines including a machine frame, a carriage mounted for reciprocal movement on said machine frame, a platen, shifting means, means for connecting said platen with said shifting means, ribbon spools, and independent means for connecting said ribbon spools and said shifting means, substantially as'described.

13. A shifting mechanism for typcwriting machines including a platen, a ribbon vibrator, ribbon spools, shifting means, means for connecting said platen with said shifting means, means for connecting said ribbon vibrator With 'said shifting means, and means for'connecting said ribbon spools with said shifting means. the construction and ar- I rangement of parts being such that said platen, said ribbon vibrator, and said ribbon spools are all shifted simultaneously.

14. A shifting mechanism for typewriting machines including a platen, a ribbon Vibrator, ribbon spools, shift keys, means operatively connecting said platen with said shift keys, means operatively connecting said ribbon vibrator with said shift keys, and means operatively connecting said ribbon spools with said shift keys in such manner that said ribbon spools are moved in a direction substantially parallel to the axes of said spools, when the platenshift keys are actuated.

15. In a platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines, a frame, platen shifting keys mounted therein, a carriage frame provided with a shifting platen, means for operatively connecting saidv platen shifting keys, a ribbon vibrator, ribbon spools, and means for operatively connecting said rib-, bon spools with said platen shift keys to bodily shift the same simultaneously with the platen shift.

16. In a platen shifting mechanism for typewriting machines, a frame, a platen, type bars mounted to engage the front of said platen, platen shifting key mounted upon said frame, means for operatively connecting-said platen shifting key, a ribbon vibrator, a line finder mounted upon said vibrator adjacent to said platen, and means for operatively connecting said ribbon vibrator and line finder for simultaneous movement in the shifting of the platen.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SPIRO.

Witnesses Enwn. E. J ONES. H. P. ALDEN,

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). 0. 

